, 1887-10-18

stood and looked at Mrs. Rawson, while
she cOolly returned his look of inquiry
with n slight sneer on her dark, hand
some face.
well" she calmly and haughtily
calculated, lis there anything more?"
In a posture of graceful Incidence she
leaned against a dressing case, and
dreamily watched the reporter, while he
was collecting his thoughts. She looked
positively sleepy.
Il would like to ask you what you have
to say about it," the young man finally
replied, what do you think it was done
for"
, In an instant Mrs. Rawson was trans
formed; her black eyes flashed the fire of
deadly hatred and she seemed to CULVER
from head to foot.
What do | think Of it," she cried. 81
am glad of it! He deserved i'll" She
stopped Just long enough to catch her
breath-"What was it done for? because
Rawson has made me out on the stree is
to be a public prostitute. I'll stand by
the boy, she cried, raising her arm with
a dramatic gesture. "EIe did no more
than any boy would do. He is the son of
his mother. Then she began to pace to
and fro over the heavily carpeted floor.
IL intended to do it myself" she ex-
claimed, suddenly stopping in the middle
of the ROOM.
Did your son know of your intention?"
She turned a wicked look on her cues
toner and said sharply: Il don't know.
He might have known it. He surely
knew he deserved it."
Then she grew hungry for more details
of the bloody deed. She inquired where
he was shot and some Of the circum-
stances.
Il am glad Of ii" she exclaimed. I'm
front of the church? 1t was just the
place; the old hypocrite; in front OF the
church" Again she asked about the
details.
Did all the shots hit hIm?" she ex
claimed, with a look of tlgerish expect
Yes, l believe they did"
I'm glad of it. He deserved all he
got"
At this juncture Mrs. Rawson's lawyer
arrived aud the reporter was promptly
excluded.
When shortly afterward young Lee, in
his cell at the police station, saw a re
porter approaching he jumped up abrupt
ly and without waiting a question de
clared: Il have nothing whatever to say
except that | am entirely responsible. 1t
was wholly my own act. My mother
knows nothing of it,"
When pressed for his motive Lee would
at first only say: You know what's been
in the papers" On being further urged
he burst out: He tried to prove my
mother an adulteress and an adventures.
Now he wanted to make out my sister a
bastard, and that's all | will say"
The career of the young mans mother
is In many respects remarkable. She has
been married several times, was DIVORCED
once, and as a department clerk in the
government service at Washington, is
understood to have been concerned in
some decidedly sensational incidents. 1t
was as the possessor of considerable real
estate in Chicago that she first became
acquainted with Rawson. Their MARI
age soon followed. This was about five
or six years ago. Rawson is 81 years old,
and his wife claims is physically a wreck.
Whatever the cause of their disputes,
the matter finally went to the couas, and
on Sept. %, 1886, Mrs. Rawson's long
thu eatened bill for a legal separation from
her husband was filed.
The allegations were cruelty and the re
ANsoA u MI ~ ~ CuDDOlN lGls
closing with a recital of how he had in
stalled detectives in their home to close It
up when Mrs. Rawson should leave it.
Rawson had in the meantime left the
house and taken up his abode with a
friend.
In his answer to the bill Rawson
averred that his married life had been a
terrible and continual drama of domestic
calamity and wretchedness. the sole cause
of which was his wife's 'phenomenally,
awful, devilish and wicked temper and
habits OF profanity and blasphemy, which
we're not revealed to him until after his
marriage"
Goinginto her history, Rawson declared
that his wife had made false representa-
ions to him to get him to marry her when
she represented that she was the widow
of Charles G. Lee, who left her com
fortably of, and the mother of two chill,
dren. He further testified that she was
married in New Orleans on April 3, 1866,
to John O. Slaymaker, who. at the time
when the bill was filed, was living in
A~rkadelphi, Ark, and the divorce oil =
tanned from Slaymaker a few years later
was illegal, consequently the marriage
with the defendant should be declared
void. On Aug. 6, 1886. he refused to
place any more money to her credit at the
bank, and on Sept. 20 she was refused
admittance to his house, and detectives
we're left on guard to prevent her gaining
an entrance.
While the suit was pending a porter on
a St. Louis sleeping car testified that Mrs.
Rawson had occupied a berth with a
strange man on his sleeper, and this story
was partially corroborated by other porters
and car conductors. All of these allega-
tons were emphatically denied by Mrs.
Rawson, and later the colored porter was
brought up before Justice Lyon on the
charge OF perjury, when he acknowledged
the untruthfdlness of his former state
ment. Since then every point, especially
in the matter of alimony, has been CON
tested with increased bitterness, the cul-
mination being Rawson's additional
charges and yesterdays horrible tragedy.
Slight Chances for Recovery.
CHICAGO, Oct. l7.-This evening the
attending physicians report the condition
of Banker Rawson more hopeful, but
cannot venture an opinion as to what the